Vegetarian Food Options Up 633 Percent in Germany

The number of vegetarian and vegan products, meals, and eateries have reached historic highs in the past five years.

According to a new report by research outlet Mintel, vegetarian and vegan food in Germany has increased sevenfold in the last five years. While in 2011 only two percent of food displayed “vegetarian” or “vegan” labels, in 2015 that number has increased to 12 percent, with the vegan claim alone jumping from one to nine percent. According to Mintel senior food and drink analyst Katya Witham, the sharp increase is evidence that “foods that were once considered as inferior alternatives to non-vegetarian and non-vegan options are now becoming legitimate contenders for the attention of every day consumers.” The report reveals that one in three Germans—a number that rises to 39 percent for millennials—are actively incorporating vegetarian foods into their diets, with the majority identifying ethical and environmental reasons as main drivers for their choice to go meat-free.